Peanut genome sequence offers significant benefits

Release of the first peanut genome sequence to the public should have an important effect on Texas peanut production for years to come and could offer significant benefits to consumers

Steve Byrns, Texas AgriLife | Apr 24, 2014

Release of the first peanut genome sequence to the public should have an important effect on Texas peanut production for years to come and could offer significant benefits to consumers. The International Peanut Genome Initiative recently released the genome sequence says A Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientist said. “This release is important to both the peanut industry and consumers, because having the peanut genome sequence available will allow for faster and more accurate selection of peanuts with improved traits,” said Dr. Mark Burow, AgriLife Research peanut geneticist at Lubbock. “This will help with releasing new varieties to improve grower profitability and consumer health.”

According to an April 2 news release from the Peanut Foundation and Peanut Genome Consortium chairman, the International Peanut Genome Initiative is a multinational group of crop geneticists working in cooperation for several years to successfully sequence the peanut genome that they’ve now released. Dr. Scott Jackson, director of the University of Georgia Institute of Plant Breeding, Genetics and Genomics, serves as chair of the initiative.

The International Peanut Genome Initiative brings together scientists from the U.S., China, Brazil, India and Israel to sequence the peanut genome, characterize variation in the DNA and traits of cultivated and wild peanuts, and develop genomic tools for peanut breeding.

The initial sequencing was carried out by the Beijing Genomics Institutes, Shenzen, China. Assembly of the genome was done at the Beijing Genomics Institute, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Agricultural Research Service, Ames, Iowa and the University of California-Davis.